JOIN USGive your bathroom a makeover
A couple of decades ago, bathrooms were treated only as functional areas and the word ‘style’ was not applicable to them. Now, however, they have their own style quotient, says Anuradha Muralidharan.
For those of us stuck with old houses, giving bathrooms a stylish makeover might seem cumbersome. While the popular belief is that the entire bathroom needs to be pulled down and reconstructed, this is not necessarily true. With just a few changes, your bathroom can be synchronised to fit in with the decor of the rest of your house and made into a beautiful albeit functional space without it costing you the earth.
The most important aspect of any bathroom is the flow of water and good faucets are a necessity and not a luxury. Today, the market is swamped with a variety of options many of which don’t really cost a lot. If your faucets are not attractive or they look old and used, the time is right to get new ones. A good branded faucet could cost you around Rs 2,000. As you will need one for the basin and one for the shower, you could get sleek, great looking faucets in pairs, which go well together, for a reasonable price.
However, don’t get carried away with beautiful faucets. You need to keep in mind water conservation. Low-flow faucets are now the industry norm and by chucking out traditional faucets, showerheads and toilets, we not only end up with a remodelled bathroom but also save up to 40,000 gallons of water in a typical household.
With faucets taken care of, you might want to look at your washbasin. More important than the basin is the stand and storage space below it which makes a difference to the bathroom. Many retailers sell wash basins which sit on a wooden stand with a cupboard below it. The options available in shops are expensive and sometimes look tacky and it is advisable to get a carpenter to design and make one for you. This will help not only half the cost of what you spend on a readymade stand but also give you the freedom to be in charge of the design and style. This storage space comes in handy to keep towels and bathroom linen and more importantly, it can be made to look stylish.
While you are at it, choose counter tops made of sustainable materials such as granite. Granite does not scratch easily and is therefore easy to maintain.
Without worrying too much about the budget, invest in a couple of good quality mirrors; they are important. Avoid buying ones with frames and attached holders for accessories; they look tacky. Just go for plain mirrors which can be fixed on the bathroom wall; they go with any look and bathroom design.
If you have chosen a counter top for your wash basin, you should ideally have demarcated space on it to place your toothbrush holder and similar paraphernalia. If the counter top is not large enough, you can buy a couple of small glass shelves and fix one close to your wash basin and one near your shower area. This, too, does not cost much.
Along with mirrors, invest in some good bath accessories. Today, fortunately, there are several home stores where you can buy smart bathroom accessories at affordable prices — starting from Rs 500 that go up to Rs 3,000.
These small changes will make your bathroom look so much better than before. You have a private space of your own without compromising on looks.
The final touch that can be given to your bathroom are a couple of potted plants. You can buy small indoor plants which look good sitting on a window sill. They add a bit of colour not to mention the fresh oxygen they provide to the bathroom.
Talking about oxygen, it is important to ensure proper ventilation in the bathroom. A good exhaust fan is a must. Today, many of these fans are so quiet that you won’t even notice their presence.
Here’s another little tip for your bathroom. To keep your bathroom smelling fresh, it might be good to invest in pot pourri instead of room fresheners. Some scented plants normally used in pot pourri include juniper, lavender, lemon balm, pine, rose and orange peel. Time to go au naturel! Add a couple of colourful mats near the door and your bathroom has just had a complete makeover.
If you have money to spare and want to give your bathroom a hard makeover, you can install a shower cubicle, new flooring and get some wall painting done. Of course, all these structural changes are not cheap and need careful consideration and planning.
However, if you are stuck with a stained floor, then changing the floor tiles is not a luxury; it becomes a necessity in order to make your bathroom stylish. Make sure you use flooring that is sustainable.
Coming to the fresh coat of paint, it is safer to keep the ceiling white and the walls in pastel shades. The lighter the wall colour, the more adventurous you can be with the accessories. Since we do not want sterile looking bathrooms, the subtle wall colour is only there for you to try bright coloured accessories which by contrast will add a dramatic style to your bathroom.
You could consider a shower cubicle if you have the space. The good thing about a shower cubicle is the protective covering that keeps your bathroom floor dry. The bathroom thus becomes easy to manage and clean. Shower cubicles cost anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 50,000.
A stylish bathroom need not be a dream you have for your next house. With these tips, you can make your bathroom beat your bedroom in being the best area of your home.